A group of concerned women have led a peaceful protest in Elem-Sangama community in Akuku-Toru local government area of Rivers State to register their grievance over neglect by the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) operating in the community.
Spokesperson for the women, Deborah Manuel, lamented that the community is denied local content jobs and contracts and called on the SPDC and its service firms to comply with the local content laws in the country.
The women called on the federal and the Rivers State government to intervene in order to forestall an incident that could lead to the shutting down of the Soku-gas facility in the area.
The women also alleged that the Elem-Sangama oil and gas committee led by Barrister Simon Dokubo and its Elem-Sangama community trust headed by Reverend Biobele Aaron were diverting the community fund and engaging in activities that could incite crisis in the community.
They further called on the SPDC and the community oil and gas committee to release the sum of N623 million community development fund within 21 days, including a disclosure of the number of PDOs that have been signed from 2017.
Other demands by the women were provision of electricity, safe drinking water, and social amenities while the employment of youths in the community should be handled by the youth body instead of an individual.
Elem-Sangama is host to the multi-million dollar Soku gas plant, which is one of the biggest gas plants in the Sub-Saharan African region.
A source in the community also claimed that Elem-Sangama has fifty-eight (58) oil wells.
Sadly, the community has little or nothing to show for contributing to the wealth of the nation.
It lacks all the basic amenities for a decent living and livelihood, while the indigenes are denied employment opportunities and other life changing opportunities by the company.
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